Life as a blind teenager

Precious Perez listens during a class on United States history at a high school in Chelsea, Mass., Jan. 24, 2014.

Sixteen-year-old Perez has been blind since birth. She lives in Chelsea, Massachusetts, a working-class city on the outskirts of Boston.

Chelsea, Mass.

Precious Perez reads a braille sign to make sure she is at the correct room for Spanish class at a high school in Chelsea, Mass., Jan. 24, 2014.

Perez's life is both like and unlike that of many of her contemporaries, blind or sighted. She walks with a friend to their public high school in the morning, takes voice lessons, plays goalball, and spends her time on social media.

Chelsea, Mass.

A braille chart sits on a whiteboard in Precious Perez's chemistry class at a high school in Chelsea, Mass., Jan. 24, 2014.

Somerville, Mass.

Precious Perez hugs a horse from Cavalia's Odysseo show during a blind touch tour arranged by the show with the Carroll Center for the Blind in Somerville, Mass., Sept. 11, 2013.

Chelsea, Mass.

Precious Perez (L), Samantha Riche (C) and Evelyn Martinez (R) work on a lab project during their chemistry class at a high school in Chelsea, Mass., Jan. 24, 2014.

Chelsea, Mass.

Precious Perez uses a braille note-taker during a Spanish class at a high school in Chelsea, Mass., Jan. 24, 2014.

Chelsea, Mass.

Precious Perez and her friends walk back to class after lunch at a high school in Chelsea, Mass., Jan. 24, 2014.

Malden, Mass.

Precious Perez and her teammates do conditioning exercises at a goalball practice in Malden, Mass., Jan. 27, 2014.

Malden, Mass.

Precious Perez uses her hands to feel the wire marking the out-of-bounds line during a goalball team practice in Malden, Mass., Jan. 27, 2014.

Malden, Mass.

Precious Perez (R) and her team-mate Zhenya Pankova reach out to stop the ball during a goalball team practice in Malden, Mass., Jan. 27, 2014.

Chelsea, Mass.

Precious Perez holds her brother J.J. while talking to her mother Jennifer at their home in Chelsea, Mass., Jan. 28, 2014.

Chelsea, Mass.

Precious Perez walks through the hallways to class at a high school in Chelsea, Mass., Jan. 24, 2014.

Chelsea, Mass.

Precious Perez walks to her high school with her friend Amanda Rosario (R) in Chelsea, Mass., Jan. 24, 2014.

Boston, Mass.

Precious Perez, a soprano, performs during the Handel and Haydn Society Vocal Apprenticeship Program's high school soloists winter recital at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Mass., Jan. 8, 2014.

Chelsea, Mass.

Precious Perez poses for a picture as she shows a photograph of herself with her boyfriend, in Chelsea, Mass., Jan. 28, 2014.

Chelsea, Mass.

Precious Perez sits in her bedroom in Chelsea, Mass., Jan. 28, 2014.

Boston, Mass.

Precious Perez boards a public transportation system called "The Ride" after performing in the Handel and Haydn Society Vocal Apprenticeship Program's high school soloists winter recital at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Mass., Jan. 8, 2014.

Boston, Mass.

Precious Perez, a soprano, performs during the Handel and Haydn Society Vocal Apprenticeship Program's high school soloists winter recital at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Mass., Jan. 8, 2014.

Boston, Mass.

Precious Perez practices during a voice class in the Handel and Haydn Society's Vocal Apprenticeship Program in Boston, Mass., Jan. 8, 2014.

Boston, Mass.

Precious Perez sings during a voice class with Jennifer Sgroe (R) in the Handel and Haydn Society's Vocal Apprenticeship Program in Boston, Mass., Jan. 8, 2014.